The Rivian R1T configurator, newly launched for those who have placed a deposit but available to the public starting November 23, has revealed that buyers who want maximum range in the electric pickup truck will have to pay a substantial premium.
The largest 180-kilowatt-hour battery pack with more than 400 miles of EPA-estimated range—which Rivian now terms the "Max pack"—adds $10,000 to the price of the truck.
The Max pack option can be added to the R1T Launch Edition that Rivian confirmed last week. It will start at $75,000 with the 135-kwh "Large pack," affording more than 300 miles of range, according to Rivian.
Rivian R1T
Launch Edition models with the Large pack are scheduled to start deliveries in June 2021, but Rivian said last week that the 400-mile version wouldn't be available until January 2022. A 250-mile version, with a 105-kwh battery pack, is also in the works, with timing to be announced after the start of production.
Rivian previously teased that a camp kitchen would be available through the configurator, and a quick glimpse confirmed that it will be a $5,000 option. Designed to slide out from a storage cubby in the side of the bed, it includes an induction cooktop, sink, four-gallon water tank and pump. A cookware set is optional.
Rivian R1T
While the price of the Max pack may seem high, it's a much better deal, for instance, than how Lucid has priced its Air—and, it appears, how General Motors intends to price the GMC Hummer EV.
But that should leave a slight profit for Rivian. Based on a 2019 average of $156/kwh (when looking at the battery pack as a whole), the 180 kwh pack costs Rivian about $7,000 more than the 135-kwh pack.
If you plan to occasionally tow, you'll likely want to go big on the battery. But Rivian's pricing structure might also be cause for people to think a little more about exactly how much range they need.